


Southern Hospitality

by heisnameless



Category: Marriage Story - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:47:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25986118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heisnameless/pseuds/heisnameless
Summary: When Charlie’s play gets approval to travel the country, it hits a small town in Tennessee where he meets his southern belle.
Relationships: Charlie Barber/Original Female Character
Kudos: 1





	1. Prologue

_To whom it may concern:_

_On behalf of the faculty and staff at UCLA, we are pleased to inform you that your rendition of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot has been approved to move forward and travel from the University to the following cities for five exclusive stops. The order in which the cities follow does not pertain to the dates in which the shows will fall._

**Phoenix, Arizona. Herberger Theater.**

**Chattanooga, Tennessee. Tivoli Theatre.**

**Tyler, Texas. Liberty Hall.**

**Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan Theater.**

**Anaconda, Montana. Washoe Theatre.**

_The dates, as well as the lengths, for these events are currently in discussion. We suggest preparing yourself and your members for traveling within the next two months at the earliest. If for any reason you may have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀_

_Department of Theater’s Playwriting_

_University of California, Los Angeles_

_225 Charles E Young Dr E, Los Angeles, CA 90095_

_310-206-8441_

It took over two months for anything to hit the road, or maybe air was the proper word to be used here because they were flying from place to place. Once they hit Arizona, they were in the air. There was no point in flying when it was at most a six-hour drive by car and the college was covering everything except for food bought along the way.

Then, it was Montana for a two-night showing. The days flew by and the kids enjoyed it, Charlie enjoyed it too. It was nice to travel, he realized, it was the freedom he could enjoy and relish in for the most part. But there was always that one downfall that would nag at you. His downfall was that he missed Henry when it got real late and he had no one to tuck in. Instead, he’d walk the halls of the hotel to make sure each of the kids was in their rooms by the time they promised they would be.

After that, he’d return to his room with nothing to do if it were too late for him to call and check on Henry and he knew Nicole was asleep. He’d lay down, toss and turn for a bit before finally, he’d pass out until he had someone waking him up at seven in the morning when his alarm didn’t go off as it was supposed to.

“Mr. B, it’s time to go. We’ve got a plane to catch!” A voice yells on the other side, making him grunt as he sits up, running a hand through his hair. He yawns, looks at the clock, and falls back onto the bed for just a moment. He’d packed his bags the night before for this exact reason, he knew just how tired he would be when he woke, knew he wouldn’t want to get out of this bed. The idea of sleeping on the plane made him ease off the thought of just falling asleep again before he frowns. On second thought, he’d settle with not sleeping on the plane.

Finally, Charlie is up and out of bed, pulling on a pair of slacks he hung up last night. A button-up followed and he worked out the creases as he buttoned the sleeves. Then, his shoes, his fucking shoes. He doesn’t know where they are, can’t remember whether or not he packed them already.

“Oh, you’re dumbass, can’t even figure out where your own fucking shoes are.” He curses low as he checks the inside of the closet; nothing. Finally, he stumbles over and lowers himself to the ground. As he spots the shoes under the bed, he grabs them, pulls them out with a huff. By now, his shirt has wrinkles here and there and his hair is a mess but he doesn’t care.

Charlie starts for the hotel door, swiping the key card from the nightstand. He stops, realizing that one, he has to actually put his shoes on and two, he needs his fucking luggage. For a moment, he’s decided that this is it. He’s done and he isn’t traveling anymore. Once these shows are complete, he’s going back to California and then he’s just done, but then he remembers New York. He remembers New York and he gets sad, but sad isn’t the proper word for it. It’s nostalgia because without New York he wouldn’t be where he is right now. He wouldn’t be trying to barely make a plane to some random town in East Tennessee.

Finally, once he’s got his shoes and his luggage all taken care of, he’s ready to leave and he’s out the door, ready to get to the next showing. Unlike the two-day show at Herberger Theater, their stop in Chattanooga was meant to be four nights. Four whole fucking nights. Shows on Broadway went on for weeks, he knew, but this was still pure insanity to him to have someone watch his work for days.

“Mr. B, I say this respectfully, but you look like hell.” One of the students, Jake, comments as they pack the van up, luggage being stored away into the back. Charlie laughs at the comment, adjusting his shirt sleeve before he shakes his head and lifts his luggage up and into the trunk of the van.

“Yeah, yeah. Just get in the van, we’ve got a plane to catch.”


	2. Tour Guides

“Hurry up! They’re supposed to be here soon.” Angela yelled from the top of the stairs, looking down at the bottom of the theater. The night before had been the final showings for The Color Purple, but today was meant to be a free day; however, they were supposed to spend it with the new team coming in. Some acting team from California was flying in to have a showing for a few days. 

The cleaning team had done a poor job the night before with picking up after clients so it was up to Elaine to pick up where they had left off. By the time she looks up to let her boss know she’s almost done, Angela’s already gone and she’s only met with the bright, blinding stage lights. Sighing, she makes her way to the garbage can and empties the dustpan, keeping a hold of a pair of toddler’s shoes she happened to find underneath seats. Clasping the dustpan onto the broom, she tucks it into a closet before making her way out of the auditorium.

The phone buzzing in her pocket was the only noise to fill the empty space, making her curse low before she shuffles to pull it out. The number shining across the screen was unfamiliar but she answers anyway. Her tone was far less enthusiastic than it should have been. “Hello?”

“Uh, hi? Is this Elaine, er, Kolson?” The voice that came through was deep and smooth. It had Elaine’s back straightening as she leans against the wall to brush her fingers through her hair, frustrated that it had fallen into her eyes. It was the perfect voice for commandeering.

“ _Oh_. Yes, this is she. Who is this?” The girl pushes off the wall, heading for the section of the theater that had been deemed as the lost and found, needing to drop off the toddler’s shoes before she forgot. For a moment, she hears the sound of people laughing, others yelling before the telltale sign of traffic follows.

“My name is Charlie Barber. I’m looking for the Tivoli Theater, but I think we’re on the wrong street. I was given this number to call in case I ever needed any help, I hope that isn’t a problem.” The man explains and suddenly, everything clicks, _this is one of the people coming in today_. She makes her way for the front entrance, stepping onto the sidewalk.

“What way are y’all comin’ from?” Elaine asks as she stands in the middle of the sidewalk, glancing from side to side. She does this about two or three times before she realizes she has no idea who she’s looking for. She doesn’t know what this Charlie Barber looks like. Hardly, she hears him asking someone about the street he’s on before she receives her answer. “Okay, so y’all are goin’ to need to take a right. We’re on Broad Street between seventh and eighth Street.”

Charlie mutters a faint apology, muffled by the Chattanooga traffic before he gives a noise of awe, recognition. “I think, I think I see it! Big red sign?”

For a moment, Elaine thinks he sounds like a child with the way his voice just becomes softer having found what he was looking for. He didn’t sound so lost anymore. “That’s it. I’m goin’ to wave my hand, y’all come to me and I’ll walk y’all in.”

She does as she says and then watches as a crowd of at least a dozen saunter her way, some running, some walking as if they have all day. Technically, they do. Then, she sees a tall, dark-haired man with a phone to his ear and she thinks, _that must be him_. He’s shockingly breathtaking, wearing a button-up that fits to his shoulders and a pair of jeans that aren’t too tight. Elaine thinks he must be crazy to wear such a thing in the Tennessee heat, but then she remembers that it’s hotter in California. He’s used to this. This must be like spring to him.

When he gets closer, she ends the call and walks towards him, holding out her hand to shake his. Her voice is teasing as she looks up at him. He’s _massive_. “Charlie, is it? It’s nice t’meet you. I’m Elaine, I guess I’ll be your tour guide this week.”

Charlie pockets his phone quickly, wiping his palm on his jeans before reaching out to shake her hand. He expels a heavy breath of air, a line of sweat on his brow. “Thank you for helping us. I’m not used to this heat and these guys here were giving me absolute hell instead of being helpful.”

As she glances over her shoulder, she watches as his team crowds the entrance of the Tivoli. Some have already started walking inside to get out of the heat. When Elaine looks back up to Charlie, she drops his hand with a soft laugh. “I expected you to be used to this, bein’ from California and all.”

His brow raises, head shaking as he too laughs. “Oh, no. I’ve only recently moved there, I’m a New Yorker at heart.”

Her lips part, face forming a brief look of awe. This man had traveled across the country, hadn’t he? New York to California to Tennessee, to who knows where else. Elaine was prepared to comment on how enticing it was to travel, how she wanted to, how she would love to go somewhere other than East Tennessee when someone yelled from behind her. 

“Mr. B, come check this out!” The boy behind her was peeking around a wall before he darted back into the building, not giving either of them a chance to respond. 

Once again, Elaine’s eyes were turning back up to him, brows raising as she raises a hand, gesturing to the doorway a few feet away. “Tour time, Mr. Barber?”

“Please, call me Charlie.” His head turns to look down at her, eyes softening as he smiles

Elaine nods. “Yes, sir.” 

His brow twitches. “Charlie, please.”


End file.
